MLA Advocacy Update

MLA Advocacy - February 28, 2019

State Budget Due March 5

The Governor's budget will be proposed on March 5. At that time we will have an indication of the administration's priorities. Once we are aware of the library support we can expect from the governor, we can begin building our support among the legislature. It is unlikely we will see a budget completed prior to the summer break.

MLA Advocacy - January 24, 2019

Practice Advocacy Every Day

The new legislature is getting settled and our new Governor is gearing up for her first State of the State on February 5. We're busy figuring out the new committee members and who could have a big impact on state aid to libraries this year. We'll be meeting with new legislators soon and recommend that you reach out to your new elected officials and invite them into the library for a tour, coffee hour, or any community event.

MLA Advocacy - December 21, 2018

Special Lame Duck Update: What passed, what died and what is still in question.

At 4.:30 a.m. this morning the House was still in session passing bills. They started at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday. The Senate adjourned at 8:18 a.m. after their marathon session. The 2018 legislative year and contentious lame duck session is finally over. We'll be watching for any legislation that may have passed in the dark of night as legislators finished up work on their final bills.

MLA Advocacy - November 29, 2018

NARCAN Bills Head to Senate Floor

SB 828 and 829 cleared the Senate Health Policy Committee this week and are headed to the Senate floor. The bills would offer liability protection for libraries when providing the life-saving opioid antidote naloxone, common brand name Narcan, to an overdosing patron. Recently, the Senate Health Policy Committee took testimony on SB 828 and 829, and as a result of testimony headed up by MLA President Kristin Shelley, the committee chair requested an amendment to the legislation which would protect all public locations from liability including libraries. While this delayed the legislation briefly the broader implications for public safety are tremendous. We fully expect legislation to be signed into law by the end of this legislative session.

MLA Advocacy - October 25, 2018

All eyes are on the November 6 election. Even the pundits aren't predicting winners and losers. In part, that's because political polling has become unreliable. In the past, a telephone poll of 700 voters would garner more than 500 results. Now a poll might get a handful of folks to answer questions. As a result, pollsters are increasingly in the dark about what to expect on election day.

MLA Advocacy - September 27, 2018

Lame Duck Session Officially Starts After Elections

We'll be watching closely for any legislation that could impact library funding. After the November elections Michigan's lame duck session could bring unexpected and unwelcome surprises.

In politics, a lame duck is an elected official whose successor has already been elected. That will encompass all of Michigan's political leadership from the Governor to both legislative chambers. This means lawmakers are free to make decisions with little fear of consequence. Lame duck politicians result from term limits, planned retirement, or electoral losses. We will be reminding these legislators of the importance of continued library support throughout this session.

MLA Advocacy - August 23, 2018

What is advocacy? The MLA Leadership Academy recently had a presentation from former state representative Barb Farrah who is now with our lobby firm GCSI. We try to emphasize the importance of connecting with local and state elected officials when we're educating our next generation of library leaders. Barb talked about the importance of building relationships early with newly elected officials. Don't wait until January. Once elections are over in November, invite those newly elected lawmakers to your library for a tour, coffee hour, or any community event. You can even host a candidate forum prior to the election as long as you invite all known candidates to participate. We need to practice advocacy every day in our libraries, in our communities and in our personal lives.

MLA Advocacy - July 26, 2018

Health Insurance News

Our insurance partner National Insurance Services (NIS) has completed our applications and contacted a number of health insurance companies for proposals for our MLA group health/Rx, dental and vision insurance consortium.

The deadline for responses from these companies is set for August 10. As soon as we have that information we will immediately make it available to you. Thanks for your patience.

MLA Advocacy - June 28, 2018

State Aid to Libraries up for FY 2019

The FY 2019 State of Michigan budget went to the governor's desk with a $1 million boost in funding for libraries in the state aid to libraries line item. MLA credits our library champions in the Senate, Senator Jim Stamas (R-Midland) and Senator Goeff Hansen (R-Hart) for their unwavering support of libraries. Their work on behalf of Michigan libraries is the reason we are seeing another million dollar increase for the third time in three years. In MLA's conversations with the two senators, they have made it clear they would like to see libraries continue to move upward toward previous funding levels. This is great news as we work to gradually rebuild this funding source.

MLA Advocacy - May 24, 2018

House Bill 5090 Reduces Library Funding

Thank you to everyone who contacted their Senators regarding HB 5090. There have been nearly 300 responses to our request urging your Senator to talk with Sen. Tom Casperson, chair of the Senate Transportation Committee. After a meeting with the Senator's office today, we learned the bill will not move until the fall. The Senator has agreed to work with us to help address our concerns and MLA will testify at the committee hearing next week.

Contact your Senator TODAY to Save Library Penal Fines

House Bill 5090 must be stopped. House Bill 5090 changes how fines from weigh stations are distributed. Under the proposed legislation, failure to stop at a weigh station would be changed from a misdemeanor to a civil infraction and exempt certain vehicles. This means a reduction in penal fines to libraries since civil infraction penalties are lower than misdemeanor penalties.

This bill moved through the House without recognition of an analysis that found that it will reduce library funding.